My Personal Journey with Vaccinations

I grew up with traditional “western” medicine with doctors and chemicals. I remember getting headaches as a child and my parents simply gave me some Tylenol. We didn't go to the doctor unless there was something seriously wrong, but we didn't have any other treatment options at home. If we were sick we suffered through it or took over the counter medicine and waited it out. We were fully vaccinated on schedule and never had any problems. It was what we and everyone else I knew did.

My husband's family is different, and they really opened my eyes to other forms of treatment and healing. They also choose to vaccinate, but because of their influence I've learned about homeopathic medicine, kinesiology, herbal healing, essential oils, and other things along the way. I've come to embrace these forms of natural healing and I've seen them work in my life. I've also learned about the risks of relying completely on medicine, and I've quietly questioned the safety of vaccinations.

My first four children were fully vaccinated on schedule, according to the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control. I never questioned my doctor's suggestions, and I didn't feel a need to challenge them. My kids are all healthy and never had any obvious bad reactions to their shots. I felt the possibility of adverse reactions was obscure, and I didn't personally know anyone who had suffered any injuries from vaccinations.

As I had more children and moved along in my birth journey from medicated in the hospital, to natural birth in the hospital, and then to home birth, I came into contact with some really amazing people. It seems like there are a lot of things that go along with the natural birth movement, and one of those things includes questioning the safety and effectiveness of vaccinations. I started meeting people, for the first time in my life, who had gone against the norm and decided not to vaccinate their children. One of my family members even made the choice to stop vaccinating their children, and it shook the foundations of my upbringing and planted a seed in me.

At first I was hesitant to even learn about it. I didn't want to find out that I'd been making choices that were potentially wrong. I think I knew deep down that if I were to research vaccinations I would find out they weren't the panacea the media and medical community make them out to be. I knew I would find issues and risks, and I wasn't ready to go there. I wanted to stay in ignorance because I didn't want to admit that I might have chosen something that wasn't best. It wasn't something I could go back and change either. I had done it, and there was no undoing.

One my sons suffered from severe recurring bouts of croup. I spent more than one sleepless night in the emergency room seeking treatments to open his airway. In seeking for answers and treatment options other than the routine steroid prescription, we had a biofeedback assessment done on him which found his croup weakness to be linked somehow to the pertussis vaccine he'd received as a toddler. We were able to get some homeopathic drops specifically designed for pertussis, and they helped ease and sometimes prevent his symptoms. I learned how to treat it at home with other things like essential oils, and have since avoided further trips to the hospital. 


My oldest caught Chicken Pox (varicella) when he was 6 years old, despite having been vaccinated for it. Even then I couldn't make myself take a deeper look at vaccinations. I didn't want to face it.

After my youngest child was born at home I went out of my way to schedule an appointment with the pediatrician to get his vaccinations on schedule. I think it was one of the things that helped my pediatrician support me a little bit after a home birth, because I was still being the “responsible parent” and getting my child's shots on time. That continued for about 6 months.

When my baby was almost a year old I started getting reminders in the mail from our insurance company that it was time for a well-child checkup and vaccinations. I had every intention of scheduling the appointment and getting it done, but for some reason every time I thought about it it slipped my mind. For some reason I could not remember to make the call and schedule it. I realized this was out of character for me, and I wondered if there was a reason I kept forgetting.

I had done some research about vaccinations a few years earlier when a family member had given me some information about them and asked me to look into it. I decided it was a good idea to do more research, so I did. I found that everything I needed to know about them I had already heard or learned from my earlier research and through friends who had talked with me about the issue. I realized I didn't need to do any more research on the subject, because I was already familiar enough with it. I felt the next step was to seek spiritual guidance through prayer.

I prayed and asked for some guidance, but I felt nothing. I was confused and upset. I felt that I was being led to delay my child's shots, but I wanted to know why and I wasn't being given that understanding. The periodic reminders kept coming in the mail, and the pediatrician's office even called and asked if I wanted to schedule an appointment. By that time I'd realized I needed to take my feelings seriously and I declined their offer because I felt it was best to wait and figure out the next step before I took any action. The more I thought about it, the more the idea of taking him in for vaccinations felt outright wrong.

I couldn't explain it, and I felt embarrassed that I was changing my mind about something potentially serious based on a hunch. I didn't want to face my pediatrician or my family, who I knew wouldn't understand my choice. I couldn't even give them a solid reason why I was making the choice, and I didn't fully understand myself what that choice was. Was I delaying vaccinations for a while, or was I stopping them from here on out?

A few months passed and I continued to pray and wrestle with the issue in my mind, until one day I had an enlightenment.

It wasn't a light from heaven or big booming voice answering all of my unanswered questions. I was reading an article about a particular vaccine. It was an interesting article, but it wasn't the subject matter that really caught my attention. As I was reading, words came to my mind and told me something. It wasn't about the shots themselves. What was important was that I was following my feelings.

In that moment I felt peace. It was peace I had been seeking for a long time, and suddenly the issue of vaccinations was no longer an issue to me. I knew that as long as I followed my feelings, as guided by God, everything would work out.

I still didn't have all the answers, and I still don't to this day. I don't know if we're delaying or stopping vaccinating our children, but I'm leaning heavily toward stopping. All I know is that as long as I continue to follow my intuition I don't need to worry.

That doesn't mean I never worry. When my toddler caught a cold and developed a bad cough, one of the first thoughts to cross my mind was that he hadn't been vaccinated against pertussis! A moment of panic hit me, and I let it leave as quickly as it had come. I allowed myself to trust my intuition and treat my child at home, and he was fine.

Each time he's gotten sick I've wondered if I would have to take him to a doctor, and then what would happen? Would they hound me about the fact that he wasn't fully vaccinated? Would they run pointless tests and jeopardize his treatment out of fear that he might have something that he could have been vaccinated against? Would they accuse me of being a negligent parent? And what argument could I give? “I have a strong feeling...”

These thoughts have crossed my mind, and I have to remind myself that I'm doing what I feel, and now know in my heart, is best.

The choice to delay or stop vaccinating has impacted other things as well. I realized that there was no point in taking my children to routine well-child checkups if they weren't going to be injected with vaccines. All that was really done at these appointments was checking their height and weight, discussing age-appropriate development and any issues that might come up, and giving shots. I've never had any issues that I needed to discuss with the doctor, and after having five children and raising kids for over 10 years I'm much more confident in my parenting abilities. I'm not concerned about consulting a doctor about my child's development, and if a concern comes up I can always just schedule an appointment for that purpose. So well-child checks are out. I never liked them much anyway.

I also realized I need to find a new doctor. I always liked our pediatrician and never had any complaints, but I've realized that he's extremely pro-vaccinations. When I declined to have my 5 year-old injected with the flu shot, the doctor proclaimed that “there are no draw-backs, only benefits”. That simple statement made me realize that my doctor wouldn't understand my point of view or my reasons for making the choices I have. So, I'm looking for a new doctor that will be more supportive of me making the decisions about the care and well-being of my children.

The United States has a culture that encourages people to blindly trust doctors and medicine, and anyone who chooses not to do so might be labeled "irresponsible", "negligent", etc. I don't believe medicine is bad. It has a place and is needed in certain situations. I just don't think it should be blindly trusted. My position on vaccines is an interesting one. I understand the risks involved and I stand firm in the choices I make for myself and my family, but I also support each person's right to make their own decision. I hope that no one makes anyone feel inferior or stupid for making the choice they feel is best for them, no matter how much it may buck the system.

One thing that I'm gaining through all of this is confidence as a parent. Yes, I have my moments of serious doubt, but I find if I pray and turn those doubts to the Lord I'm able to navigate my options more easily and with peace and confidence.

Influenza, the Vaccine, and Vitamin D

It's flu season!

You've likely noticed the propaganda.  Signs everywhere I go, at pharmacies, grocery stores, supermarkets, warehouse stores, and more!  I see signs on the side of the road, and I hear news stories about how everyone should go get their flu shot!  Some places even offer incentives, such as memberships, gift cards and the like, all for getting a flu shot!  Our pediatrician's office has a sign with a caricature of a man with an ice pack on his head, a red nose, tissue in his hand, covered with a blanket, and a fizzling drink nearby.  It says "Don't let this happen to you!  Get your flu shot today!"  They'll even bill your insurance for you!  No hassle!

One thing all this media coverage makes me question is why?  Where are the funds coming from to pay for all of this?  The advertisements and the incentives?  The pay for the registered nurses who sit at the tables and booths with their syringes ready?  It makes me think that, just maybe, the flu shot is pushed more for monetary reasons than for health.  Just think about that for a minute.

If you live in a place where it gets very cold in the winter, like I do, then the propaganda is likely more prevalent than in warmer climates.  Flu season here can be quite ugly, particularly for infants and babies who can develop potentially deadly RSV, which affects a baby's ability to breathe and get adequate oxygen.  Indeed, parents are cautioned to keep their infants home and avoid public places for fear of contracting the feared flu bug.  When I gave birth to my third baby in October we kept him home for months to avoid any exposure.  We sacrificed holiday parties and family get-togethers out of fear our precious baby might get sick.  He was healthy all season, and I can't say whether or not staying home really made a difference.

I used to get the flu shot, and I even had some of my kids get it more than once.  Our family doesn't get the flu shot anymore.  The decision was simple for me.  I didn't notice our family getting sick less often when we got the vaccine.  The years that we skipped the vaccine we didn't get sick any more often or worse than the years we got it.  I saw no point in subjecting myself and my children to an annoying stick in the shoulder (or thigh) when I never noticed any benefits.

In the years since I stopped getting the flu shot I've done more research on the subject.  This year in particular I've found a lot of resources about the flu vaccine, and they're not favorable.  I didn't intentionally seek out anti-vaccine blog posts and articles, but the research I've found supports my decision to stop getting the annual shot.

Why is flu season during the winter months?  It's quite simple.  The colder weather forces us to stay indoors more.  We exercise less.  We eat more food, and more fatty and sugary foods, particularly during the various holidays that take place during the winter.  Our health overall suffers, and we're more prone to illness.  Flu isn't the only illness that goes around during these times, but it seems to be the one that gets the most attention.  Perhaps it's because of money.  There's a vaccine for that, and lots of companies make money when vaccines are sold and administered.

In considering whether or not the vaccine is a good choice for you or your family, you should consider the following:

• The latest flu shot has been linked to seizures:  "Australia, just coming out of its flu season, had to suspend flu shots for kids — because little ones were suffering febrile seizures at 10 times the normal rate."  This is the 2010 flu shot.  The one that's being currently promoted.  My kids won't be getting it.
• Six reasons to say NO to vaccination: At first glance I thought this blog post was all about scare tactics, but when I took the time to read past the bold print I realized there's a lot of truth to it.  It's about vaccinations in general, but as you read it think about how it applies to the flu shot in particular.  
• Flu is vitamin D deficiency disease: This post really resonates with me.  It makes sense that during the darkest months of the year we would suffer from vitamin D deficiency, when vitamin D is most available through exposure to sunlight.  Taking a regular dose of cod liver oil or another vitamin D supplement could potentially prevent the flu altogether.  I'm willing to give it a try!
• Vitamin D proven far better than vaccines in preventing influenza infections:  If you're one of those people who needs scientific proof of a theory, here's some evidence to back up the vitamin D link to the flu.
• Food sources for Vitamin D: This site has a list of foods that contain Vitamin D.  The major foods listed are: fish (like salmon and tuna), milk, cheese, and egg yolks, but check the list for more.  It's a good idea to eat as many Vitamin D rich foods as possible through flu season.  An adult should have about 1200 IU's of D3 daily, and a child should have about 400.  You can also get D3 supplements from your local grocery store or health food store.
• Sunlight is the best source of Vitamin D: However, in many very sunny places it's still possible to be deficient because it's dependent on the type of sunlight.  Dietary changes and/or supplementation may still be needed.

I'm not a conspiracy theorist.  I support families making informed choices about their care.  That means knowing what it is you're choosing.  If you choose to get a vaccine, understand the potential risks involved.  If you choose not to vaccinate, understand what you can do to support your family's health more effectively.  Make the choice that makes sense and feels right for you.

I make decisions for myself and my family based on a combination of personal intuition and research.  I go with what feels right, but I also search for evidence and pray about my decision.  This is one vaccine I feel confident about missing.

UPDATE: (10/29/10) Since writing this post, I discovered more information about the 2010 Influenza Vaccine.